Key Performance Indicators are quantifiable measurements that reflect the critical success factors of an organization ranging from income that comes from return customers to percentage of customer calls answered in the first minute. Key Performance Indicators may also be used to measure performance in other types of organizations such as schools, social service organizations, and the like. Measures employed as KPI within an organization may include a variety of types of revenue in currency, growth or decrease of a measure in percentage, actual values of a measurable quantity, and the like.
The systems within which performance data (e.g. business performance data) is modeled and processed are typically not well aligned with the productivity tools used to present data, such as presentation applications. Many hours are spent manually transferring and then formatting data from the business system into the presentation tools, often on a periodic basis for reporting. The productivity loss to enterprise engaging in low level activities combined with the potential for error and misinformation represents vast amounts of wasted resource.